Spanish Tip of the Week: Meal Times

A sample label for the kitchen

Here at Pine Village, we get asked one question a lot- what is the best way to help my child become or stay bilingual?  As we have stated in previous posts, we believe there is never one "right way" to do anything.  What works best for your family depends on many factors, and whatever makes you all most comfortable and happy will work best for you.  Still, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. 

One thing that works for many families is to set aside a specific time or activity to do together in Spanish daily or weekly.  This is especially great for parents and caregivers who still struggle with Spanish themselves.  If you are looking for a place to start, mealtime can be an easy choice.  You could have breakfast in Spanish each day, or start with one supper a week.  For an added bonus, consider labeling objects in your kitchen so your child can see the word and the picture and begin to associate symbols and print with the real-world objects they represent. Even if you struggle with Spanish yourself, you can look to the labels as a reminder of common mealtime words.

Stay tuned next week for suggested words and phrases to use while cooking with your child!